McWilliams-Franklin powers Shock back to WNBA Finals

Sep 30, 2008 - 1:55 AM
YPSILANTI, Michigan (Ticker) -- Veteran forward Taj
McWilliams-Franklin scored 15 of her 19 points in the second
half as the Detroit Shock held off the New York Liberty, 75-73,
in the decisive Game Three of the Eastern Conference finals on
Monday.

Deanna Nolan scored 21 points and Katie Smith added 16 for
Detroit, which returned to the WNBA Finals for the third
straight year. The Shock will square off with the San Antonio
Silver Stars, who edged the Los Angeles Sparks in Game Three of
the Western Conference finals on Sunday.

The owners of the best record in the regular season, the Silver
Stars will be playing in their first Finals, which will begin in
San Antonio on Wednesday.

Left shorthanded inside after the mid-season knee injury to
top-notch forward Cheryl Ford, the Shock acquired
McWilliams-Franklin in a trade with Washington in August. A
two-time participant in the Finals with the Connecticut Sun from
2004-05, McWilliams-Franklin stepped up Monday, shooting 7-of-11
from the field and grabbing eight rebounds.

The play of McWilliams-Franklin helped stem the tide as New York
attempted to rally from a 20-point deficit in the first half.

The Liberty drew within two points early in the fourth quarter
but failed to pull ahead.

Janel McCarville scored 21 points for New York, which managed
just eight points in the first quarter.